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Last Updated Aug 16, 2010 3:58 PM EDT
Apple and AT&T have been joined at the hip since the iPhone's introduction in 2007. U.S. customers who wanted the device had one choice of carrier. Last fall, I argued that Apple needed to drop its exclusive with AT&T for a number of reasons:
- Verizon is AT&T's serious competition in the U.S.
- Verizon was heavily courting companies like Motorola (MOT) that were building phones using Google's Android as the operating system.
- AT&T has developed a reputation -- rightly or wrongly -- for bad or limited connectivity for the iPhone.
- Apple can sell only so many iPhones in the US solely through AT&T. Eventually it reaches a market saturation point with the carrier.
There has been a major drawback to eliminating the exclusive AT&T relationship: money in hand. As of the end of 2009, new AT&T iPhone activations represent over a third all of Apple's iPhone sales in the same quarter. So long as the money kept rolling in, Apple could live with the arrangement.
However, then came the Android market numbers from Google. It only took the operating system five quarters to sell as many handsets collectively as Apple did after nearly three years. Chalk it up to all the customers who stuck with their non-AT&T carriers and yet still wanted a smartphone. Call it the power of having multiple manufacturers instead of the limitations of a single vendor. Whatever the case, Android handsets are on pace to outsell iPhones within a year -- and possibly even move than RIM (RIMM) Blackberrys.
Android isn't the only choice for Verizon. Microsoft Windows Phone 7 has received some glowing early reviews. If the actual devices are anywhere near as strong, Verizon could quickly take advantage of the mainstream nature of smartphones and move an increasing number of subscribers to the devices. Verizon would help fracture the US market and make Apple domination increasingly dicey.
That presents a big problem for Apple. CEO Steve Jobs wants to do more than sell handsets. He wants to own an entire infrastructure, including being a sole-source of apps, just as he managed with the iPod and iTunes. Get that entrenched in people's lives, and competitors have an unbelievably difficult time pushing you out of the way. The company has a safe position from which to further expand. But if Verizon sells ever more non-Apple smartphones, that goal becomes impossible in the U.S. and, in turn, elsewhere.
Apple's only choice is to get Verizon to sell the iPhone. That won't stop Apple's competitors, but it might at least slow them down for a bit.


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Melania Trump, 50, is known for her stylish fashion and high-end taste. She posted photos on her social media accounts today, unveiling the White House’s Christmas decorations which included multiple decorated trees.
Her pencil skirt, which reached just below her knees, is a popular number in Melania’s wardrobe.
She paired the look with her favourite sky-high Christian Louboutin black heels, another firm favourite in her wardrobe.
For accessories, the First Lady kept it simple, and opted for an outfit with no necklace or bracelet.
Melania styled her newly highlighted golden locks in her signature classic wave.
Thousands of fans took to the comments section on her post to share their thoughts on her outfit.
One person wrote: “Absolutely beautiful and so classy.”
Another said: “Absolutely gorgeous.”
“Our beautiful First Lady exudes class always,” commented a third.
The official White House Christmas tree is 18ft and sits in the Blue Room, which has 160 ornaments made from children across the country.
There is also a red room dedicated to first responders, frontline workers and grocery store employees who have had to work throughout the pandemic.

domain: news


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Every Halloween, Chipotle has offered either $2 or $3 burritos to customers who show up in costumes, from 5:00 p.m. to close. This year, patrons can get a burrito for $3 if they show up wearing an “unnecessary addition” to their costumes. The website suggests examples like wearing a beard with a fairy costume or a ballet tutu with a vampire costume.
The promotion symbolizes the company’s stand against unnecessary additives and preservatives in foods, nearly six months after it became the first major restaurant chain to announce it had removed genetically modified ingredients from its entire menu.
While the promotion may just sound like an annual excuse to make the extremely corny pun “boo-rito,” the company has good intentions. Chipotle is pledging to put aside up to $1 million from the proceeds for its foundation, which promotes food literacy and sustainable farm practices.
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- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Olivia B. Waxman at email@example.com


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Plug-in electric vehicles might, one day, be a big hit but the Poulsen Hybrid kit will allow compact car owners a piece of the action early. The upgrade works by incorporating two electric motors on each of the drive shaft-equipped wheels in a moon rover-type fashion. (FWD or RWD compatible) These motors do not drive the wheels entirely but rather provides an extra gas saving boost while traveling between 15 and 60mph. The makers claim that a previously 30 mpg car transforms into a 50 mpgcar with the kit installed. Interested? The $4,550 kit gets you lead acid batteries or $8,600 for the lithium ion edition.
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Sony unveils PlayStation Now for PC and wireless DualShock 4 USB adapter| Darrell Etherington


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TSA Reverses Ban on Star Wars-themed Soda Bottles
Bright suns, Star Wars fans: The TSA has lifted a ban on thermal detonator-shaped Coke bottles, which the agency initially deemed looked like replica explosives.
The bottles, which are for sale exclusively inside Star Wars lands in Anaheim and Orlando, are shaped like small orbs that resemble either a droid or a thermal detonator, depending on your point of view.
The ban came as a response to a question on Twitter to @AskTSA. A concerned traveler shared an image of the bottles, commenting “I know these look dodgy, but can they be packed in suitcase?” @Ask TSA replied: “Replica and inert explosives aren’t allowed in either carry-on or checked bags.”
A TSA representative further clarified that “these items could reasonably be seen by some as replica hand grenades” but that the agency would continue to review the issue. Well, that review is over, and it’s good news for Disney, which just opened the second Galaxy’s Edge location in Orlando on Thursday.
In a reversal, a TSA spokeswoman said in a new statement to CNN, “We have completed our review, and instructed our officers to treat these as an oversized liquid. Because these bottles contain liquids larger than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters), they should be put in checked baggage or emptied to be brought on as carry-on item.”
At $5.49, the bottles are one of the cheapest souvenirs available at Galaxy’s Edge. And they’re popular: Disney has limited guests to three bottles per transaction to prevent hoarding.


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EMGS sells Barents Sea data
- Business & Finance
Norwegian geophysical services Electromagnetic Geoservices (EMGS) has entered into a pre-funding and late sales agreement related to 3D CSEM data surveys in the Barents Sea in Norway.
The agreement represents revenues of approximately $1.8 million, EMGS said in an Oslo Stock Exchange filing on Tuesday.
The data will be acquired during the third quarter of 2017.
The geophysical company was awarded a similar deal in late June with a value of $2.5 million.


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A new bitcoin crypto company is planning to launch in the fall, and it’s looking to tap into a booming market.
The new company, Crypto Galaxy, is a “first-of-its-kind” online store that will sell bitcoins as a digital currency, according to a company statement.
The Crypto Galaxy team is currently recruiting and hopes to open up stores by the end of the year.
The store will offer “unique bitcoin experiences for both individuals and families,” the statement said.
It plans to offer “a full range of bitcoin-related products and services.”
The Crypto Galaxy store is “designed to provide bitcoin users with a convenient, fun, and convenient way to buy, trade and store their bitcoins,” according to the company’s website.
The company, which will also offer a “bitcoin wallet” that allows users to transfer bitcoins, is hoping to have a presence in Canada and the United States within the next three to four months.
It also plans to “develop additional crypto products, services and products that are not currently offered in the United Kingdom.”
A spokesperson for Crypto Galaxy declined to comment.
The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Globe and Mail.


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The annual event traditionally takes place on the third Saturday in April. However, 2021 will see the celebration taking place on 12th June. Record Store Day, supported by BBC Sounds, is the one day of the year hundreds of record shops in the UK (and thousands more around the globe!) come together to celebrate their unique and independent culture and the art of vinyl. Special vinyl releases are made exclusively for the day with parties and live performances taking place in record shops all over the world. More information about #RSD21 to follow soon!
Sign up to receive our Creative Briefing emails about relevant international news concerning the UK creative industries.


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The IT channel needs to invest more in its own intellectual property (IP) as emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and public cloud become more prominent.
Speaking in the latest issue of CRN (out next Monday) channel firms explained how they have invested in software development, on top of products from the likes of Microsoft and Amazon Web Services, to solve specific customer problems. All three partners also incorporated AI and machine learning into the solutions.
Mitchell Feldman, chief digital officer at Microsoft partner RedPixie, said the firm has made a conscious effort to focus more on IP as the public cloud giants rely less and less on the channel for selling products and services.
RedPixie has worked with a UK healthcare provider to create a smartwatch which monitors the wearer's health, and can send out alerts based on the data it gathers.
"All the cloud providers are eventually going to go direct to the consumer and for the very easy workloads they'll offer those services from free, or offer tooling," he said. "We're seeing that already.
"Building our own IP means that our business is highly sustainable and repeatable. We've built this quality, repeatable pattern that we can apply to different industries and create a revenue stream for ourselves."
Howard Hall, managing director at Solutionpath, said the growing complexity of technology means that solutions will naturally require greater collaborations between parties.
Solutionpath, part of the same group as HP partner DTP, has created a software platform that analyses the student data to help universities predict students' performance. Using machine learning, the platform can predict if a student is going to drop out up to 20 weeks before they actually do, Hall explained.
He said the channel needs to embrace the concept of developing its own IP, or risk falling behind an new breed of innovative IT firms.
"The traditional approach for our industry is to either buy or sell a platform, and leave them to get on with it," he said. "Our approach [at Solutionpath] has been to find the problem we're going to solve and then build the platform to solve the problem.
"What may well get in the way of adoption by the current channel is that inability to innovate and think about things a little bit differently, but I don't think it will hold things up because others will just come around the sides.
"We didn't know anything about software developing five years ago, but we've built a business around solving customer problems."
The full story, and a detailed case study of each partner's products, can be found in the next issue of CRN which is out on Monday.
Infrastructure provider says international sales now make up 51 per cent of its revenue
Suzanne Chappell of TMS plans sailing venture after selling Oxfordshire-based TMS to acquisitive Chess
Withdrawal of credit insurance by some providers a 'reflection' of current challenge facing IT sector, according to MD Steve Soper
SMART's UK managing director joins Lenovo to boost SMB business


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CRN Sustainability Hub
How can the channel step up as sustainability takes centre stage over the next decade?
That is the key question we will be tackling this year as we expand our coverage of sustainable technology, culminating on 6 May with our Sustainability Summit.
Some 55 per cent of UK IT decision makers we questioned recently said sustainability is now a top-three consideration in their organisation's technology procurement strategy, with seven per cent ranking it top.
VARs and MSPs who answer this call are set to win big in the 2020s, which is why CRN is ramping up coverage of this important topic this year.
Join us at the inaugural CRN Sustainability Summit to hear from expert keynotes, panel discussions and case studies from organisations that are making strides in sustainability. This event will be a thought-provoking opportunity to network with peers, learn best practices, and start thinking about your shift to sustainable.
SVP of UK sales tells CRN about its 'first of a kind' green financing option and why customers are clamouring for offerings like it
With Microsoft, Apple and HP already making decisive commitments to sustainability so far this year, CRN asks whether we are looking at a turning point in the channel's adoption of the green agenda
Scott Dodds speaks with CRN about becoming more sustainable and recruiting through a pandemic
Programme extension expected to be available to all partners worldwide by end of 2021
Rotherham-based S2S signs deal with global ITAD Procurri
Tech giant has reduced carbon emissions by six per cent in the past 12 months
Executives will see their bonuses either cut or raised by up to 10 per cent depending on how they perform according to the tech titan's core values
TCO Development's new database feature notifies buyers of certified products that meet predefined sustainability parameters
Leeds-based VAR partners with IT asset recovery specialist for e-waste reduction scheme
'We don't see Project Natick replacing land datacentres but being an additional offering, where we can deploy these faster than we can build land datacentres,' Microsoft's Spencer Fowers tells CRN
Tech giant amps up sustainability goals with commitment to replenish more water than it consumes within next decade
Vendor hopes 50 per cent of its global partners will join Amplify Impact by 2025
Tech giant claims industry-first in eradicating lifetime carbon footprint
Zoom In: Former rugby champ Gomarsall on how COVID-has reset the sustainability debate in the channel
The N2S director opens up on acceleration of the circular economy and how the pandemic is proving ITAD's worth to the channel
The UK MD talks to CRN on why sustainability is now a business imperative and how going green can help resellers’ frustrations with disrupted supply chains
In his new career, Andy Gomarsall is breeding bugs to extract precious metals from printed circuit boards. He and his father, Jack, gave CRN a no-holds-barred tour of their firm, N2S
Dutch distie boss opens up on how the pandemic will mark a 'real change' for the circular economy
Vendor follows up ‘carbon-negative’ goals with massive machine learning project
Soren Enholm, who heads up tech certification organisation TCO Development, rates the eco efforts of the tech industry and urges channel firms to pursue new business models
CRN Sustainability Report examines the sustainability endeavours of seven leading tech brands, and finds the majority of end users now see sustainability as a top-three purchasing consideration
Atea reveals it recycled or reused over 450,000 units last year
Portsmouth-based Circular Computing claims reseller demand for its remanufactured laptops has risen dramatically over the past 12 months
European Commission warns that digital transformation must not come at the cost of the planet
Customers don't understand the difference between certified refurbished and grey market products - distie
Distie’s head of refurbishment division on the importance of circular IT in battling counterfeit goods and why distribution needs to do more around sustainability
Justin Sutton-Parker tells CRN about the competitive advantage that having a green agenda gives partners
Datacentre operator Goonhilly tells CRN that the technology - which uses liquid similar to rapeseed oil to cool servers - is 65 per cent more efficient than traditional systems
New initiative urges organisations to consider buying IT kit second hand or repairing it before disposing of it
'Channel yet to grab circular economy opportunity with education sector' - Microsoft's education boss
Chris Rothwell says that education buyers will be placing more of an emphasis on sustainable approaches this year
Tech titan reveals ambitious goal to erase its entire carbon footprint by 2050
Specialists in the circular economy give tips on sustainability


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Marvin Ellison, the current executive vice president at Home Depot Inc., and a retail veteran with about three decades in the industry, will face some big challenges when he takes on the role of J.C. Penney CEO, the Associated Press reports.
As the news wire notes, the department store chain has been trying to recover after suffering billions in losses but is still struggling to woo customers back. Ellison has been chosen to lead the company in that effort starting next August.
According to AP, Ellison’s task will be to fix the issues that caused the retailer to lose its customers to begin with—ranging from criticisms that the stores didn’t carry the latest looks available at other popular stores, such as Macy’s, to claims that its website wasn’t shopper-friendly and didn’t have enough variety.
Read more at the Associated Press.


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It is a thrilling time to be a semiconductor company. Uses for chips keep proliferating, from connected cars to connected home speakers, and at the same time, the process of making chips gets harder and harder, which makes the things more precious.
That should be music to the ears of holders of shares of two of the best companies in the business, Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices.
As the only two freestanding developers of computer chips that can process today's mania for artificial intelligence, the graphics processing unit, or GPU, chip, these two are in the catbird seat. There is endless demand for the things, as more and more problems in computing are re-fashioned as GPU problems.
It's been a rough fall for both stocks just like the rest of the market. Nvidia is down about 22% this year, and 45% in just the last three months. Advanced Micro Devices, which struggled early in the year, managed to double in the past 12 months, but its shares were cut by a third in that same three-month period leading up to today.
Both stocks are pricey, but a lot less than they were not long ago. Nvidia is the more reasonable bet at this point, trading at 23 times next year's estimated $6.59 per share in net income, versus 31 times for AMD.
The trends that define these two companies are deeper than either current stock market uncertainties or the other problem that constantly dogs their shares, the fact that they make money off of the precarious fluctuations of the crypto-currency market.
AI, the problem of how to compute problems via manipulations of vectors, has proven a boon to the GPU business. Nvidia owns what some estimate is about 80% of the market to "train" neural networks.
That process involves large numbers of parallel computing operations that multiply vectors and matrices together to find a hidden organization of connections between data points. It could be the features of a picture that collectively represent an object, as in computer vision. It could be the path through a series of steps to solve the strategy game Go.
All these treasure hunts have demanded heaps and heaps of Nvidia GPUs over the last several years. Revenue at Nvidia is expected to rise 22% this fiscal year ending in January, up from a 25% increase the year prior, a sharp increase from the outright declines and sluggish growth in many years leading up to 2017. Nvidia is on a roll.
AMD has nowhere near the same prominence in AI that Nvidia has, but as the only other major vendor of a GPU chip, that simply spells opportunity for the company to be the second source. Last month, AMD announced what it bills as the world's first GPU chips made at the smallest feature size available for chips today, seven billionths of a meter.
AMD is a fraction of Nvidia's size, at $20 billion in market capitalization versus $91 billion. The fact that it is little AMD making this announcement is a momentous come-from-behind achievement for a company near death four years ago.
The big threat to both is that the proliferation of AI keeps leading to more startup companies that could totally change the computing landscape and obsolete the GPU. Graphcore, a Bristol, U.K. startup company that has a fascinating alternative to the GPU for AI computing, yesterday announced it raised an additional $200 million from venture capitalists, with this round including contributions from Microsoft and from BMW. With $300 million raised to date, Graphcore has real money, not play money, that ensures its chips will get a shot at taking on the GPU.
There are dozens of such startups. And the lesson of Intel should give pause. Intel spent $14.5 billion last year to acquire Mobileye, a promising competitor in the race to use AI for self-driving cars. With the numerous startups emerging for AI, it's not clear that such a large purchase will ever pay for itself. It's hard, in other words, for the established chip vendors to keep pace with the change that is being prompted by AI.
Just as the Intel microprocessor was eclipsed in recent years by alternatives such as ARM Holdings chips, which now dominate mobile computing, and by the GPU, which dominates AI training, the GPU could also find itself drowning in alternatives.
In times of epic change, it's good both Nvidia and AMD have leadership that is the best in the business. Jensen Huang of Nvidia is a visionary who has been guiding the company to this moment for decades. Lisa Su is one of the most canny in the industry, and brought AMD back from the brink of disaster to fighting form.
Astute management may help both firms to continue to reap the rewards of a raging market for semis as AI proliferates.


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Yet another rumor appeared today about the features the all new iPhone 2009 seen to arrive in June or July will bring.
Silicon Alley Insider reports that they heard from an mobile industry insider that they iPhone would get significantly faster internet speeds.
What this possibly means that the iPhone would support HSDPA 3G speeds of 7.2Mbps. A skill many other smartphones are already capable of.
Currently the iPhone 3G only supports 3.6Mbps if you actually can get a reception that offers that theoretical speed.
To pull us down to reality Engadget reports about a new lawsuit against Apple and AT&T for misleading 3G claims.
For me personally 3G is still a major disappointment. I think I can count it still on my two hands when I got a 3G reception that really worked well and had the advertised speeds.
In any case a new iPhone with HSDPA support sounds very nice.
More iPhone 2009 Rumors.
Buy Now: Sony PlaysStation VR In Stock Here


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According to a Forbes article, as we continue to place more trust in search results, the importance of maintaining and managing our online reputation grows. We’ve moved from the age of information to the age of reputation. In fact, according to the Pew Research Center, 91% of people trust what they see and read in search engine results, and the Edelman Trust Barometer reports that 65% of people trust these results more than any other source.
These perceptions will define you. This means that what’s out there matters — and it will continue to matter. The news cycle may evolve quickly, but your digital footprint never disappears. Reviews, comments, social media profiles, photos, posts — the list of what we’ve put into the online world is a long one, and this is what shapes search results. But the impacts of these results don’t end on the first page of Google. They impact behavior, decisions and, above all, reputation. With this in mind, we have to learn how to own our reputation in the digital space.
Here are a few tips to help keep you ahead of the fast-paced, volatile world of reputation.Participate, And Participate Proactively
Shying away from online platforms is no longer a viable option if you want to actively manage your online reputation. Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn have moved beyond social media forums and now operate as search engines in and of themselves. People use these platforms not only to interact but to access information and make decisions.
Participation means more than just having a profile. Push out content, and push it out frequently at strategic times. New content does not erase negative past news, but it is essential to building your online presence and maintaining a positive online reputation.


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The creation of 80 new, highly skilled jobs was announced today at the official opening of the new Dublin headquarters of energy technology company SolarPrint.
The company, which specialises in the development of dye-sensitised solar cell (DSSC) technology used to convert light to energy, is currently patenting its technologies and will open its first high volume manufacturing line next year in Dublin.
SolarPrint was set up in 2008 by Dr Mazhar Bari, chief executive officer; Andre Fernon, chief financial officer; and Roy Horgan, business development director. It has devised a unique form of DSSC technology that can be developed to convert light to energy at a lower cost than other forms of photovoltaic technologies.
Jobs at SolarPrint
The company is currently recruiting for the new Dublin-based positions, which it says are highly skilled roles requiring personnel with exceptional qualifications in the fields of chemistry, electrical engineering, physics and material sciences. SolarPrint, which currently employs 20 staff but said this number is set to rise to 100 by the end of 2012, also plans to hire staff for commercial and financial roles to support its expansion plans.
“For us, this is the latest stage in our evolution from start-up firm to established enterprise,” said Bari. “Broadly speaking, our new staff will be split between engineering personnel, who will work on the production line and R&D staff, who will work on product development and testing.
“This recruitment drive will be a significant shot in the arm for the post-graduate research sector in Ireland and will help to position Ireland as a viable knowledge centre in the field of photovoltaic technology.
“However, on a wider level, we’d like to think that we’re making an important contribution to the ongoing advancement of the clean technology agenda in Ireland and elsewhere.”
“The firm has an exciting business plan which will generate 80 new jobs by focusing on product innovation in the fast-growing energy technology sector,” said Minister for Enterprise Trade and Innovation, Batt O’Keeffe, TD, who officially opened the new headquarters in Sandyford earlier today.
“Ireland is now recognised internationally as a top incubator for product innovation,” he continued. “SolarPrint’s ambitious expansion plans demonstrate that we have the right mix of pro-business taxation policies, high-potential enterprise supports and talented workforce to enable firms to create products and services for worldwide consumption.”
SolarPrint recently signed an agreement with Fiat to develop solar panels to be incorporated into the roof surface of automotives, to generate alternative sources of energy for vehicles by converting light to power. It has also just entered into an agreement with the Taiwanese Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) for the joint development of new photovoltaic (PV) solutions that can be used in consumer applications.
“Our success in reaching agreements with Fiat and Taiwan and the interest expressed in our technologies by global consumer companies in particular, encouraged us to set up a pilot production line last year,” said Bari. “Having refined and stress tested our manufacturing processes, we will move to high volume manufacturing in 2011. This is a very exciting development for us and will help SolarPrint drive the demand for our technologies in Ireland and overseas.”


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|by Flemming Funch|
Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway scooter, and many other interesting things, introduced last Thursday a portable water purifier that he hopes will save millions of people around the world from shortages of fresh water. It is a 100 pound device which requires little maintenance and uses no chemicals or filters. It uses a specialized distillation and condensation process and produces 10 gallons of clean water an hour on 500 watts of electricity. The idea is that it goes hand in hand with a generator he's also developed, which uses a Stirling engine to produce electricity.


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The novel coronavirus has created new categories of stocks that were practically unheard of before. One of these niche categories could be called “protective-gear stocks” or even more specifically, “face-mask stocks.” An obvious candidate for this niche would be Alpha Pro Tech (NYSEMKT:APT) stock.
This particular stock is a real mover. It’s gone from around $3.50 at the beginning of the year to over $25 in late February. Now it’s back down to the $12 level, but that’s a chance to own APT stock at a discount.
Meanwhile, the persistent demand for face masks suggests that a share-price rebound may be right around the corner.
A Supply-Demand Imbalance Hits APT Stock
Hardly anyone would dispute that protective face masks are a hot item, but not everyone appreciates how strong the demand actually is. This month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officially released a recommendation that all people should wear face masks when they’re out in public.
Of course, the rush of demand for face masks started before the CDC made that recommendation. Over 580,000 Americans have tested positive for the coronavirus and Johns Hopkins has reported over 23,000 fatalities. Without a doubt, the public is going to try to get their hands on face masks by almost any means necessary.
Moreover, medical institutions are in dire need of surgical and N95 face masks. In fact, a survey from the watchdog of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services revealed that hospitals throughout the United States are facing delays of up to six months when ordering face masks.
America largely sources its face masks from China. The most recent trade data from the United Nations shows that in 2018, around half of the global supply of face masks, totaling $11.7 billion, came from China.
At the same time, however, the supply of face masks from China is falling sharply. Incredibly, U.S. imports of protective face masks from China decreased 20% in February 2020 compared to the same month last year. This represents the lowest level of China-to-U.S. imports of these face masks in any February since 2015.
A Small Company Takes on a Big Responsibility
There are a couple of main factors explaining why the U.S. can’t count on China to supply as many protective face masks as it needs right now. The first factor is that China has enacted export restrictions on its face masks. This was done so that China can provide these masks to its own residents and medical institutions.
The other factor is that much of China’s economy is shut down due to the spread of the coronavirus. This shutdown in activity includes some of the manufacturing plants in China that had previously supplied protective face masks.
Fortunately, there’s a small company that’s ready and able to step up to the plate. Alpha Pro Tech is currently ramping up production of its protective face masks. By late summer, the company projects that a “phase 2” expansion will be under way.
As you would expect, Alpha Pro Tech has seen a rash of orders for face masks recently. The company reported that between January and April, Alpha Pro Tech booked approximately $36.7 million worth of orders for its N95 face masks.
Additionally, Alpha Pro Tech has experienced a strong increase in incoming orders for its face shield products. A year ago, just $1.6 million worth of orders for the company’s face shields came in. This year, it’s up to $11.6 million. Plus, Alpha Pro Tech reports strong demand for lab coats, gowns, bouffant caps and shoe covers.
My Final Word on APT Stock
Sometimes an imbalance between supply and demand can create rare opportunities. In this case, the imbalance between the supply and demand for protective face masks should benefit APT stock.
Any doubters can simply examine the data as the protective-gear market desperately needs a company like Alpha Pro Tech to fill the void.
Louis Navellier had an unconventional start, as a grad student who accidentally built a market-beating stock system — with returns rivaling even Warren Buffett. In his latest feat, Louis discovered the “Master Key” to profiting from the biggest tech revolution of this (or any) generation. Louis Navellier may hold some of the aforementioned securities in one or more of his newsletters.


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Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram, General Motors and Mercedes-Benz dealerships were sold in fourth-quarter transactions in three states. Two of the transactions involved Canadian dealership groups — Alpha Auto Group and Foundation Automotive Corp. — buying U.S. stores.
Originally written for Automotive News by Jack Walsworth
Two Canadian dealership groups expanded their U.S. portfolios, a growing dealership group added more stores, and a dealer bought his second franchised store — all in fourth-quarter transactions.
Here’s a look at the deals involving domestic and luxury dealerships and stores in California, Tennessee and Pennsylvania.
Nouri/Shaver expand with acquisitions, formalize partnership
Bob Nouri and Pete Shaver ended a busy, acquisitive year with the Dec. 20 purchase of Suburban Buick-GMC-Cadillac of Costa Mesa in California, Nouri confirmed to Automotive News.
It marks the first Cadillac franchise for the duo, Nouri said. They renamed the store Costa Mesa Buick-GMC-Cadillac.
Suburban Collection, founded by the Fischer family in 1948, sold the Costa Mesa store, Nouri said. That California store was not included in Lithia Motors Inc.’s April 2021 purchase of 34 new-car dealerships from Suburban Collection in Michigan.
Nouri and Shaver’s December acquisition followed a busy November for the pair, during which they purchased another domestic dealership, were awarded an open-point new-car store and formalized their joint venture: Nouri/Shaver Automotive Group.
Nouri and Shaver on Nov. 16 bought WIN Chevrolet in Carson, Calif., from Jerry Heuer and Hani Nassif, Nouri confirmed. They renamed that dealership Chevrolet of Carson. Costa Mesa and Carson are south of Los Angeles.
Nassif and Heuer sold the last of their dealerships. That duo also on Nov. 16 sold the former WIN Hyundai Carson to Brandon Steven Motors.
Nouri said he and Shaver plan to add some staff at the Chevrolet dealership, but have no changes planned for the facility. “It’s already a beautiful building,” he said.
Nearly two weeks after closing on the Chevrolet store, Nouri and Shaver on Nov. 28 got the approval to open their awarded open-point store: LAX Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram in Inglewood, Calif., also nearby Los Angeles.
In June, Nouri and Shaver also purchased Sacramento Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram in California from Potamkin Automotive Group Inc.
Nouri said he hopes to close on four more dealership purchases in the next 60 days. If successful, Nouri said, the deals will involve stores representing Ford, Kia and Hyundai brands.
Nouri and Shaver’s dealerships in 2021 sold about 40,000 combined new- and used- vehicles, generating about $1.75 billion in revenue, according to Performance Brokerage Services, a buy-sell firm in Irvine, Calif., which represented the sellers in the WIN Chevrolet transaction. That firm’s co-founder Jason Stopnitzky brokered the deal.
In October, Nouri and Shaver also appointed Armina Mgerian as CEO of their dealership group, Nouri said.
Foundation Automotive grows in Tennessee
Canadian auto retailer Foundation Automotive Corp., which entered Tennessee in July, further expanded in the southern state with a fourth-quarter acquisition.
Foundation Automotive on Dec. 14 bought Humboldt Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram in Humboldt, Tenn., the auto retailer confirmed.
Foundation Automotive purchased the store from Lonnie Cobb. The dealership’s name remains. Cobb still owns a Ford dealership in Henderson, Tenn., Foundation Automotive said.
Humboldt is west of Nashville. One of the four dealerships Foundation Automotive bought in July from Jones Motor Co. is in Humboldt, while the other three are in Savannah, Tenn., east of Memphis and north of the Mississippi and Alabama borders.
“This is our fifth acquisition in Tennessee with an additional two stores in the Nashville area closing in early 2023,” Foundation Automotive CEO Kevin Kutschinski said in a statement.
In August, Foundation Automotive bought a Mercedes-Benz dealership in Texas.
Foundation Automotive, of Calgary, Alberta, has a U.S. base in Houston. In addition to Tennessee and Texas, the group has dealerships in Colorado and North Dakota, plus three in Canada.
Canada's Alpha Auto Group expands in the U.S.
Canada’s Alpha Auto Group in November expanded its U.S. holdings into its second state with the purchase of its first Mercedes-Benz store, in Fresno, Calif.
The transaction to buy Mercedes-Benz of Fresno closed Nov. 22, with Scott Biehl and Triunity Automotive Group as sellers, said George Karolis, president of Presidio Group, an investment banking and advisory firm based in Atlanta and Denver. The firm represented the sellers in the transaction.
“We are thrilled to welcome our new Fresno teammates to the AAG family,” Alpha Auto Group said in a statement. “Adding Mercedes-Benz to our lineup has long been a goal of ours. We are excited to add the dynamic California market to our portfolio. It is a strategic addition and building block for our growth.”
The deal also included the sale of Central Valley Fleet Sales & Service in Fresno, a used-vehicle retailer and fleet service business, to Alpha Auto, Karolis told Automotive News in an email.
Alpha Auto of Toronto, Ontario, entered the U.S. in 2018 with the purchase Wilsonville Toyota and Wilsonville Subaru in Oregon. The group on its website said it is looking to buy single dealerships and dealer groups with as many 20 stores across Canada and the U.S.
Biehl said he no longer has any dealerships. In August, Triunity Automotive sold Jaguar-Land Rover Los Angeles to US Auto Trust, a dealership group led by Edward Glazer, an owner of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Biehl was dealer principal of that store, and Presidio Group also represented him and Triunity Automotive in that sale.
Raymond acquires second new-car store
Gerry Raymond, president of Gerry Raymond Automotive, in October bought his second new-car dealership, Gerry Raymond Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram of Brookville, in Western Pennsylvania.
Drew Picon, a managing director of DCG Acquisitions, a Dave Cantin Group company, said he represented both buyer and seller in the Oct. 27 transaction.
The selling dealer was William J. Kelly of the former Kelly Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram store.
Raymond made his first dealership acquisition in 2021, buying the former Team Chevrolet-Buick-GMC, in Wintersville, Ohio, west of Pittsburgh. It was renamed Gerry Raymond Chevrolet-Buick-GMC. Another Dave Cantin Group company, DCG Capital, facilitated that earlier purchase, Picon said.
Raymond participated in DCG Capital’s Ownership Accelerator Program, which helps managers and executives at franchised dealerships and used-car stores buy their first new-vehicle store.
Capital for the Stellantis dealership acquisition was provided by Live Oak Bank and the buyer also was assisted by consultant Biltmore Automotive Services.
Raymond, in a phone interview, said that for his second purchase he sought a Stellantis dealership. “I already have Chevrolet-Buick-GMC, so I was looking to diversify myself, and my customers, with more brands,” he said.
Brookville, Pa. is a rural market, Raymond said, with the advantage of a large territory with few other dealerships around.
“With the surrounding areas, there’s so much business to be had and I think customers would really like to see somebody with a more aggressive approach like we have,” he said. “There are not as many dealerships in close proximity, for a 40- or 50-mile radius.”
Kelly’s father, former auto industry executive William S. Kelly, the former CEO of Saab Cars USA Inc., served as an informal adviser in the buy-sell negotiations, the son said.
William J. Kelly said the Chevrolet-Buick-GMC store was his only dealership. Dealerships are in demand and the current seller’s market was a factor in the decision to sell, he said.
“I’m going to retire — for right now,” Kelly said, adding “it was time” to sell.


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After enduring the endlessly unpredictable year of 2020, we’d be amazed if anyone could tell us exactly what 2021 might look like before its even begun. But based on our shopping habits over the last 12 months, there are some clear indicators out there of how the world of beauty could change over the course of the next year – according to the experts from John Lewis & Partners, at least.
The department store has just unveiled its inaugural John Lewis Beauty Bets, a report which outlines the top 10 key trends that it forsees us all investing in going forward, based on a combination of detailed customer insight and opinions from the shop’s team of ultra-knowledgable beauty buyers.
As home to one of the best beauty halls on our high street, their suggestions are the closest thing we’ll get to a roadmap of our shopping habits for 2021; how accurate they’ll be remains to be seen, but either way, it makes for seriously interesting reading…
John Lewis beauty trends 2021: The predictions explained
1. Holistic beauty
‘As we move into the new year, beauty takes on an increasingly holistic approach,’ says Amelia Kendrick, Beauty Buyer for Emerging Beauty. ‘With the pandemic ensuring physical and mental health will continue to be main priorities in 2021, we are seeing the consumer demand more from their beauty products; not only must they make you look good, they need to make you feel good too – it’s about the 360 experience.’
This shift will take shape in the form of spikes in demand for supplements, sleep aids and wellness products; John Lewis notes huge growth in brands like Aromatherapy Associates this year, and anticipates Australian brand The Beauty Chef as a bestseller over the next 12 months.
2. Scaled-back make-up
From staying home more than ever to wearing face masks when we’re out and about, it’s no surprise that we’re less interested in overly complex make-up routines, instead choosing to focus on more in-depth skincare.
‘This new mood for minimalism, coupled with an ongoing strong customer desire to reduce waste, will see cosmetic bags contain smart kits featuring hardworking essentials: a light base or tinted moisturiser, lip balm or tint (which are already soaring at +122 per cent), a glow-giving cheek product and lengthening, natural-look mascara. Expansive tool sets will be replaced by a considered edit of do-it-all brushes or cushions, and we’ll see more finger-tip application giving a softer finish,’ John Lewis says.
3. Menopause ‘becomes mainstream’
In terms of beauty buying, the Dermaflash Luxe Anti-ageing Exfoliating & Peach Fuzz Removal device and the Anatome Menosupport + Renewal supplement were already among John Lewis’s bestsellers for 2020, suggesting even bigger growth in the category to come.
4. Hair wellness
Both John Lewis and Space NK reported a significant rise in sales of Olaplex throughout 2020 – at JL, the brand has been a runaway success with over 4,000 bottles sold (or enough to fill 5.2 bathtubs sold) to date.
In addition to our regular shampoo and condition, next year they suspect we’ll see the growth in popularity of additional products like scalp scrubs, serums and deep cleansers, containing nourishing ingredients like hyaluronic acid which have been more commonly found in skincare until now.
5. The natural look
Similar to the decline in full-face make-up noted by point too, John Lewis says 2021 is the year we’ll embrace the ‘unfiltered face’, celebrating our individual characteristics and reaching for low-maintenance products to help us embrace them rather than hide them away.
There’s already strong demand for tinted moisturisers, with online sales up by +81 per cent. ‘To complement this natural look, we will also see subtle glow-enhancers prove popular. We predict strong sales of highlighters, blushers and bronzers from brands such as Hourglass, NARS and Charlotte Tilbury. Throughout lockdown, bronzers proved popular with sales +147 per cent,’ the brand explains. They’re also backing the Benefit Brow Microfiling Pen to be a big seller for 2021 as we continue to covet big fluffy brows.
6. Home fragrance
‘With our homes having become not just our living spaces but also our offices, gyms, schools and restaurants, never has it been more important to make them feel as comfortable and desirable as possible,’ says Joe Coggrave, Beauty Buyer for Skincare and Fragrance. ‘It is for this reason home fragrances are going to be an important category into next year and beyond.’
According to John Lewis, in 2021 we’ll take inspiration from the concept of a perfume wardrobe and bring that into our home spaces too, with key players in the category said to be Diptyque, Le Labo and Jo Malone.
7. Discovery and education
‘The joy of the beauty hall lies in the ability to discover new brands, trial out textures, test colours and sample scents to find your next beauty favourite. However, current restrictions in shops have meant that the traditional mode of testing is, in many cases, no longer possible. As such the beauty industry is having to adapt, and for 2021 we will see this done through beauty boxes, discovery sets, travel miniatures and virtual eventing,’ John Lewis says of this next trend.
Customers appear to be especially interested in curated edits (both the Discovery Beauty Box and Advent Calendar sold out in record time this year), as well as online beauty masterclasses as they further their beauty education from home. They’re also more likely to give new or niche brands a chance in the name of this exploration.
8. Buy less and better
Looking ahead, John Lewis says we’ll be investing in more premium products, but balancing this out by reducing our routines and investing in the formulas that really work for us. They put this down partially to sustainability efforts – having seen a huge uptake of their BeautyCycle recycling scheme which launched in 2019 – and partially from the perspective of self-gifts that lift our mood during turbulent times and allow us to access high-end names that might otherwise be out of reach.
‘While a Chanel handbag might be out of reach for many, a Chanel bronzer, at £40, is far more accessible,’ they say – indeed, Laurie Cilberto, Beauty Buyer for Make Up shares that ‘Chanel’s iconic Soleil cream bronzer has been one of our biggest selling products in the make-up category in 2020, with enough sold to fill 17,000 2.55 bags.’
9. Serious skincare
Considering we’ve already touched on focusing on skincare over make-up and deepening our product knowledge, it makes sense that another trend we’ll see next year will be interest in result-driven skincare that can give professional-level results at home. This will manifest across new and established brands, from Sunday Riley and Kate Somerville to ‘the big three’ of Clarins, Clinique and Estée Lauder (the latter’s recently reformulated Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex has already seen a 34 per cent increase year on year).
Gadgets will also be part of the process, and we won’t be afraid to spend on them – John Lewis’s current bestseller is the MZ Skin Light-Therapy Golden Facial Treatment Device Five- Coloured Light Treatment, which is priced at £385.
10. The everyday ritual
‘We’ve also seen a huge surge in customer demand for bath and body gift sets from brands including Diptyque, Le Labo, Molton Brown, Rituals and L’Occitane,’ John Lewis details. ‘Offering a full bathing kit, they allow the customer to experience an end-to-end ritual at home without having to spend on full-sized products.’
In short, we’re putting more time, effort and money into our everyday tasks, creating at-home spa experiences and even turning acts like handwashing into something of a ‘ritual’ to find comfort and relaxation from inside our own four walls. In line with this, John Lewis has already sold enough Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash to fill 285 bathroom sinks.


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Actress and model, Kate Upton has joined up with performance wear company, Copper Fit to promote its fall and holiday 2018 collections. Known mainly for its compression sleeves and braces, Upton will be charged with upping the awareness of Copper Fit’s new wellness and recovery-focused collections, which feeds into the brand’s commitment to build up its women’s category.
“Kate personifies our mission of promoting optimal health and wellness,” said Andy Khubani, chief executive officer and founder of Copper Fit’s parent corporation, IDV. This partnership is the latest in line of brands that have tapped Upton to front their marketing campaigns. Upton has previously served as a brand ambassador for the likes of Express and food company, Urban Remedy.
“I’m looking forward to jumping into the creative process and exploring fashion through a different lens,” said actor Michael B. Jordan exclusively to WWD about becoming the first face of @coach ‘s men’s business. Not only will the actor appear in its global ad campaigns, but he will also create a capsule with designer Stuart Vevers. Tap the link in our bio to learn more. #wwdfashion
“The name of the show is GP — giant pockets,” said Karl Lagerfeld pre-show, in his backstage meeting room at @Fendi to Bridget Foley. @Bellahadid was one of the many famous faces who graced the catwalk including @Gigihadid, @Adwoaaboah, and yes, even @Kendalljenner. #wwdfashion
Photographed by Kuba Dabrowski/WWD
“We are obsessed with Fendi and we want to share this obsession,” said CEO Serge Brunschwig to WWD. @Fendi will be releasing a new capsule collection Oct. 16 centered around the Fendi/Fila logo created by Instagram artist @Hey_reilly. Further proving the logo trend isn’t going anywhere. Link in our bio for more details. #wwdfashion


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AT&T and T-Mobile Team Up for Free Roaming in Sandy-Affected Region
Denied the right by federal regulators to merge last year in what would have been a $39 billion blockbuster of a combination, wireless service providers AT&T and T-Mobile at least get to pretend like they’re on the same team for a while, thanks to Hurricane Sandy.
The two companies just announced that they’ve struck a deal that lets users on both networks roam on the other’s for free in storm-struck areas.
I’m no expert on the finer points of roaming agreements, but I know that the two use the same basic wireless technology — GSM/UMTS — that makes it relatively easy for this to happen. Usually what happens when a T-Mobile user wanders into AT&T territory and vice versa, there’s some money that changes hands between them. For the duration of the storm emergency within the areas of New York and New Jersey, that won’t be the case.
Their announcement is below.
AT&T and T-Mobile Open Networks to Customers of Both Carriers in New York and New Jersey
DALLAS & BELLEVUE, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In the wake of destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy, AT&T and T-Mobile are taking extraordinary measures to make sure our customers can stay in touch.
AT&T and T-Mobile have entered into an agreement to enable roaming on their networks to customers of both companies in the heavily impacted areas and where capacity is available and for subscribers with a compatible device.
AT&T and T-Mobile customers will be able to place calls just as they normally would, but their calls will be carried by whichever network is most operational in their area. This will be seamless for AT&T and T-Mobile customers with no change to their current rate plans or service agreements even if the phone indicates the device is attached to the other carrier’s network.
T-Mobile and AT&T both utilize network technology based on GSM and UMTS standards, which allows for this sharing of voice and data traffic.


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Seventy new tobacco store concessions granted
The National Tobacco Sales Nonprofit Company (NDN) has just awarded 70 new tobbaco store concessions, Hungarian business daily Világgazdaság reported today. The award is the result of the fifth tender organised since Hungary introduced a state monopoly on retail tobacco sales last year.
In the present tender 659 valid applications were submitted for 88 shop concessions, out of which 70 were awarded, NDN announced.
Világgazdaság reported earlier that a new tender would be launched to distribute the remaining concessions which had not been awarded because of a lack of applicants. These concessions are less attractive because they are situated in small villages where business prospects are limited, the newspaper said.
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We would like to offer that same opportunity to our readers. We would like to invite you to help us deliver the quality business journalism you require. Hit our Support the BBJ button and you can choose the how much and how often you send us your contributions.


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There's now no shortage of leaks and rumors around the upcoming iPhone 11 phones, and we just got another tidbit of information to chew over: the successor to the iPhone XR is apparently getting a dual-lens rear camera this year.
That's according to Japanese blog Mac Otakara (opens in new tab), which says it has its information directly from those in the know in the supply chain in China.
The iPhone XR 2 – or iPhone XI R? – is going to come with a wide angle lens and a telephoto lens just like the current iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, the report says, which should mean a better portrait mode and 2x optical zoom will be on offer.
It's actually a rumor we've heard before, so you can count this as a conformation of sorts for what Apple is planning. The iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Max, meanwhile, will get upgrades to triple-lens rear cameras.
Glass and ports
According to Mac Otakara, two out of the three lenses on the more expensive iPhones of 2019 will also be shared with the new iPhone XR model, which should help to keep manufacturing costs down.
All three iPhone 2019 models are being tipped to use 3D-molded glass for the back of the phones, possibly covering up the rear camera bump, the new report says.
There's also a prediction that Apple could include more powerful 18W USB-C chargers with its iPhone models this year – although the Lightning port will be retained, and Apple will bundle USB-C-to-Lightning connectors with the devices.
Via AppleInsider (opens in new tab)


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100X.VC Takes Investment Tally To 70 Startups
100X.VC nurtures innovative ideas that add value and bring solutions to a problem
100X.VC, India's first venture capital (VC) to use India SAFE notes, has invested in 70 startups since class 01 in December 2019.
100X.VC operates on a cohort-based investment model. India has the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world, where two-three startups are born every day. For class 06, 100X.VC received 2,285 pitches, shortlisted 356 and after a rigorous process, 10 startups received funding in class 06, said a statement.
The VC firm announced the names of the startups at VC pitch Day on December 3. More than 1,000-plus investors, including VCs, corporate houses, angels, family houses from across the globe were in attendance.
"With our investment in 10 startups as part of class 06, we are thrilled to have invested in 70 startups since inception. We received pitches from startups with several unique ideas. It was hard to review so many good applications and shortlist a few because everyone had potential. Our investors are eagerly waiting to hear from us about the curated list of startups. We are focused on mentoring, advising and guiding the founders. Our masterclass enables them to turn their ideas into successful businesses," said Ninad Karpe, partner at 100X.VC.
The class 06 portfolio companies include: Healthy Barks, a fresh food and wellness brand for pets; PensionBox, India's first pension app for the private employed workforce; Super Scholar, a go-to place to win edtech scholarships; Broomees, an online platform to safely hire verified and trained domestic help; Wizzy.ai, an intelligent site search for e-commerce stores; Redbasil, a B2B marketplace for food supplies; Utsav, a social community platform for faith and divinity; Honc, a car wash partner; SimpliClariFy, a platform that enables students to get mentored by their career twins; Instasell, a platform for Instagram businesses.
100X.VC is sponsored by Mehta Ventures, the family office Investment arm of Sanjay Mehta, to nurture innovative ideas that add value and bring solutions to a problem. 100X.VC is SEBI registered investment adviser, added the statement.


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Wednesday, January 13, 2016
There are some serious flaws in the PADDY / RICE debate that no one has explained to the PUBLIC – “Media” time for an investigation and explanation.
I am at a loss to understand that the Public are being lead like sheep in this debate.
For starters from the PMB web site, the Govt. purchased 153,000 metric tones of PADDY in the 2014/ 2015 Maha Season. ( Interesting question to ask from PMB and Govt. how much they expect to purchase this Maha, beginning in about one month, when harvests will begin, shall we say 200,000 metric tones!)
As late as December 2015, the Chairman of the PMB said that he is trying to sell 250,000 tones of Paddy in the stores, and is finding it hard to find buyers! Until this is sold, there is NO room to store any purchases from the new season.
Annual Paddy production in 2013 was 4,621,000 tones and 2014 was 3,381,000 tones and imports in 2013 negligible and in 2014 Paddy equiv of 858,000 tones which was 600,000 tones of rice. Import due to crop failure due to drought.
CWE imported 225,000 metric tones of rice in 2014 or 2015 from third parties despite only getting Cabinet approval for 50,000 tones, and much of this is NOW NOT EDIBLE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. So who imported, for how much, and how much was pocketed from the purchase price, and by whom?
IN my investigation, I was unable to get a clear answer to my questions from anyone. I am sure the powers have NO CLUE what should have happened and what actually happened, and how it should affect supply and demand in 2016, as well as what should be purchased, how it should be stored!
How much stock of edible imported rice is still available to be sold? Time to Investigate and resolve before the shit hits the fan, when farmers will explode when their paddy is not purchased next month!
WHY WAIT FOR THE PROBLEM? ANTICIPATE AND TAKE APPROPRIATE MEASURES NOW - that has been the fault of Sri Lanka's planning for the past 70 years. Time to change, we can't wait for the Constitution to do so, as that will not be able to tackle such basic requirements!


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Qld IT minister blasts budget blowout claims
China chip industry insiders voice caution on catch-up efforts
Huawei files to trademark mobile OS around the world after US ban
Alibaba files for Hong Kong listing that may raise US$20 billion: source
Victoria Police complete massive Apple mobile rollout early
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Fisher & Paykel trades SAP for Salesforce
Creates single view of customer to keep in touch across long buying cycles.
Sep 27 2018 1:54AM
Lion to sense supply chain shifts in real time
Owner of brands from XXXX to Yoplait transforms.
Jul 16 2018 11:55AM
Apple to create $1bn US advanced manufacturing fund
Seeks to prove its chops in job creation.
May 4 2017 11:09AM
Coca-Cola injects $90m into automation expansion
Reveals results of eight-month review.
Feb 22 2017 10:46AM
First 3D printer in space goes to work for NASA
Manufacturing self-sufficiency in Earth's orbit.
Nov 27 2014 6:49AM
IT can reverse manufacturing's decline: CSIRO
Research highlights data silos, manual handling as hurdles.
Oct 9 2014 6:03AM
Vic Premier promises $30m in IT grants for manufacturers
Parties compete for tech jobs mantle.
Oct 7 2014 3:10PM
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BI delivered to any device.
Aug 4 2014 7:11AM
Frucor shifts manufacturing to SAP
To reduce waste, improve accuracy.
May 9 2014 6:50AM
Patrick's container-carrying robots damaged at sea
Delays forecast for Sydney Port automation project.
Feb 7 2014 7:15AM
SPC Ardmona's 'high-tech' plans suffer setback
Government refuses to chip in for project.
Jan 31 2014 6:09AM
Steggles invests in spy-grade analytics
Baiada Poultry signs co-development deal.
Jan 28 2014 12:25PM
Chemicals giant keeps tabs on contractors
Understanding commercial realities of hiring transient workers.
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Photos: Monash Uni's new tech innovation hub
Teaching centre aims to transform manufacturing.
Jul 31 2013 6:29AM
Decoding NetSuite's anti-SAP bravado
Cloud talk gets nasty.
May 20 2013 6:36AM
R&D dollars go begging in anxious sector
Delays stifle innovation in Australian manufacturing.
Jan 15 2013 7:04AM
Samsung to review suppliers after child labour claims
To inspect 250 Chinese companies.
Sep 4 2012 6:30AM
PC builders in the dark over Microsoft Surface
Anger fumes over launch strategy.
Jun 20 2012 10:20AM
RIM's hub down as BlackBerry maker sacks staff
Jun 23 2011 7:10AM
Metronode to build its own data halls
Future data centres won't come prefabricated from Britain.
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PEW: Where Americans Find Meaning In life...
Facebook's walled garden/roach motel strategy made it progressively harder and harder for charities to reach supporters on the web, driving them within Facebook's confines, where they devoted thousands of hours to making their Facebook presence attractive and pleasing to Facebook's algorithm.
Sheryl Sandberg promised to share data about discriminatory ads and voter suppression by the end of the year.
As many as 500 million guests Marriott International hotels may have been victims of a hack of the chain's reservation database, the company announced Friday.
It might seem like there's already tons of ads on Facebook, but the company is still searching for new places to put more of them.
The unnamed politician in Central Florida has a reputation for being a real jerk. One person who worked on his campaign reported that he would often demean his staff, shout them down and send meetings into utter chaos. But when that person dealt with his own subordinates in local politics, he did...
Marriott International Inc said on Friday that hackers accessed about 500 million records in its Starwood Hotels reservation system in an attack that began four years ago, exposing personal data of customers including some payment card numbers.
Marriott International said on Friday hackers stole about 500 million records from its Starwood Hotels reservation system in an attack that began four years ago, exposing personal data of customers including some payment card numbers.


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Liza Concepcion was a victim of consumer fraud by AT&T. Now after being caught in a catch-22 with thousands of others, the Supreme Court announced AT&T is home free. Learn about the latest corporate "get out of jail free" card.
Congressman John Mica (R-FL) is pushing the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to implement a biometric identification program for port and maritime workers, whether it is ready or not. Mica’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee held hearings last week at which the TSA was scolded for not having the biometric version of its security program up and […]
Biometric technology is growing at an incredible rate. The use of biometric technology, such as electronic iris scans, has the potential to increase public safety by providing better control to sensitive areas like nuclear power plants. Even retail companies are getting in on the trend. But there is also grave risk to human rights. J. […]
The Looming NFL Lockout Who’s to Blame? In most labor disputes, it’s easy to pick sides. Just support the little guy. It’s easy to root for a worker trying to raise a family on $30,000 a year, who is struggling to get a 5% raise from a CEO that makes $5 million a year. But […]
After more than a year in development the new workrights.org web site has launched. We know you will find it more user friendly and hopefully you will find it a great resource for information regarding employee rights in the workplace.


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U.S. President Donald Trump announced hefty tariffs on $50 billion of Chinese imports on Friday as Beijing threatened to respond in kind, in a move that looks set to ignite a trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
Trump, whose hardline stance on trade has seen him wrangle with allies, said in a statement that a 25 percent tariff would be imposed on a list of strategically important imports from China. He also vowed further measures if Beijing struck back.
“The United States will pursue additional tariffs if China engages in retaliatory measures, such as imposing new tariffs on United States goods, services, or agricultural products; raising non-tariff barriers or taking punitive actions against American exporters or American companies operating in China,” Trump said in a statement.
Earlier on Friday, China vowed to do just that, saying it would strike back, just hours before Trump’s statement. Trump has already said the United States would hit another $100 billion of Chinese imports if Beijing retaliated.
Washington and Beijing appeared increasingly headed toward a trade war after several rounds of negotiations failed to resolve U.S. complaints over Chinese industrial policy, market access and a $375 billion trade gap.
“If the United States takes unilateral, protectionist measures, harming China’s interests, we will quickly react and take necessary steps to resolutely protect our fair, legitimate rights,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a regular daily news briefing.
Trump’s initial list included 818 products worth $34 billion in Chinese goods. The remainder of the $50 billion is still to be decided.
Trump has triggered a trade war with Canada, Mexico and the European Union over steel and aluminium and has threatened to impose duties on European cars.
Washington has completed a second list of possible tariffs on another $100 billion in Chinese goods, in the expectation that China will respond to the initial U.S. tariff list in kind, sources told Reuters.
China has published its own list of threatened tariffs on $50 billion in U.S. goods, including soybeans, aircraft, and autos, and has said it would hit back if Washington followed up with further measures.
Beijing and Washington have held three rounds of high-level talks since early May that have yet to yield a compromise. Trump has been unmoved by a Chinese offer to buy an additional $70 billion worth of U.S. farm and energy products and other goods, according to people familiar with the matter.
“The threshold to come to a consensus or a compromise seems high,” Tai Hui, chief market strategist for Asia-Pacific at J.P. Morgan Asset Management wrote in a note.
Renewed worries about an escalating trade conflict sent shares in Chinese telecoms gear maker ZTE Corp tumbling on Friday. The company has lost 30 percent of its market value since resuming trade this week.
ZTE last week agreed to pay a $1 billion fine to the U.S. government to end a crippling supplier ban imposed after it broke an agreement to discipline executives who conspired to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran and North Korea.
Trump’s revised tariff list may exclude some consumer items from an earlier proposal to focus more on goods related to Beijing’s “Made in China 2025” program, according to a Eurasia Group report.
The “Made in China 2025” initiative is aimed at accelerating China’s prowess and narrowing its competitiveness gap with the United States and other industrial powers in key technologies such as robotics and semiconductors.
While China has in recent months made incremental market-opening reforms in industries for which critics in the foreign business community say they were already planned, it has shown no inclination to yield on its core industrial policies.
“U.S.-China trade tensions will be long-lasting,” Yifan Hu, regional chief investment officer and chief China economist at UBS Wealth Management, told a briefing in Beijing.
“The trade skirmish is not just about the trade deficit and exchange rates, but about the rules of the game, market openness and intellectual property. It is also about values, governance and geopolitical disagreements,” she said.


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2K Games has announced that Mafia 3 is its fastest-selling game to date. The publisher has shipped 4.5 million copies of Mafia 3 in its first week, surpassing even titles like Bioshock and Borderlands.
Do note that these are shipped copies to shops and not sold copies to consumers. Still, this is a really impressive number for such a game.
Unfortunately, though, the game still suffers from optimization issues on the PC.
As we’ve already wrote in our PC Performance Analysis article, Mafia 3 comes with some ridiculously high GPU requirements. However, the visuals on display do not really justify these high GPU requirements.
The game initially released with a 30fps lock on the PC, however Hangar 13 was quick to react and released – in a matter of days – a patch that resolved that issue.
Hangar 13 claimed that it is still working on improving the game’s performance, though we haven’t heard anything from the team since October 14th!


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The make-up line will be launched online on covergirl.com in March and will be available in stores in April
Who made the bigger fashion faux pas?
Halima was the first model to wear hijab in swimsuit segment
Get ready for some major LOLs
Garner and Affleck announced their divorce one day after their 10th anniversary
Manto will begin shooting from March 15
Singer left for Romania right after the Sehwan attack
Research finds youngsters begin fidgeting, scratching upon separation
The crowd kept screaming "Death to Tarek Fatah".
Singer wants PSL final to be held in Lahore
Ali Gul Pir, Sounds of Kolachi among others to perform in Sehwan on February 25
Here's how Twitter reacted
The couple split in 2016
Farida Jalal was rumoured to have passed away last night


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Despite lingering anxieties about the pandemic and a variety of economic and commercial issues, the majority of SMEs believe it is now imperative to begin building back from the crisis. They are ready to step up their business investment, with ambitious plans for recruitment, renewal of equipment and machinery, and both domestic and international expansion.
Fintech business lender MarketFinance asked 2,000 SME owners across the UK about their outlook for 2022 and beyond, gauging their short and long-term plans for business investment and growth. MarketFinance has today released a comprehensive research report of its findings, which are summarised here.
Analysis of the survey results has shown that business confidence amongst SMEs is improving, with many firms now focused on recovery and growth. With pandemic disruptions now largely settled, half of SMEs (48%) expect their turnover to stabilise or to increase over the next 12 months. Similarly, 50% of SMEs expect demand for their products or services to stabilise or to increase over the next six months. MarketFinance’s research has found that the majority of SMEs (63%) expect their business to grow over the next three years
With survival mode no longer a necessity and cash flow pressures beginning to ease, the vast majority of SMEs (70%) now feel confident enough to increase business investment over the next 12 months. A quarter of SMEs plan to hire new staff, while 24% expect to purchase new equipment and machinery. When asked how they were factoring borrowing into their investment plans, 23% of SMEs said access to a broader range of borrowing options could enable them to increase investment even further.
The research findings demonstrate that borrowing will play a key role in recovery and growth with 62% of SMEs saying that prudent borrowing could help them fund growth. However, three quarters (71%) of SMEs do not believe traditional banking products are the most obvious and convenient way to borrow for investment. Despite this lack of alignment between current finance needs and the options available through traditional routes, more than a third of SMEs (37%) are looking to take on new borrowing facilities.
With confidence high and a sense of having moved beyond recovery and into a new stage of growth, many businesses are looking forward to seizing a host of opportunities in 2022. Almost all SMEs surveyed (81%) plan to invest in sustainability, while 30% say they are considering merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the year ahead – more than twice as many as those primarily focusing on organic growth (14%). Over a third of businesses (34%) say they already sell overseas, or have plans to begin doing so. That figure is highest amongst the largest businesses surveyed (turnover between £5m and £6.5m) but even amongst smaller enterprises significant numbers are focused on export.
Anil Stocker, CEO at MarketFinance, comments: “It’s clear that the business environment has shifted and SMEs are looking ahead with a quietly confident and cautiously optimistic view. UK businesses intend to ramp up growth through domestic and international expansion, digital transformation and even M&A activity. But as they reset their post-pandemic goals for a post-pandemic, they’ll need to be confident of their funding base.”
Stocker adds: “Given that so many SMEs are looking outside of traditional routes in their search for finance, we’re particularly proud to have been accredited by the British Business Bank as one of the few alternative providers under The Recovery Loan Scheme. Schemes like the RLS are a golden opportunity for SMEs looking to gear up for growth, providing easily accessible funding at a lower cost across a wide range of products. We expect to see a large number of SMEs taking advantage of the scheme over the next 6 months as their growth and expansion efforts gain momentum and they invest in ambitious plans for 2022 and beyond.”


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Prices for monitor panels are stabilizing this month, as makers put the brakes on fierce pricing, but high inventory levels within the monitor market are likely to push prices down again soon, industry sources commented. The sources pointed out that prices for many 17" monitor panels have dropped below production costs, and in order to prevent prices from falling further, panel makers have hardened their resolve by refusing their clients' requests for more price cuts.
More here at DigiTimes.
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By Emily Hardy2016-08-03T16:19:00
Game today reported a slump in UK retail sales but has a bold vision of a multiplay future in which it has a key role.
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Rachel McQueen, Marketing Cheshire’s tourism director, will deliver the opening address at the Showcase Weekend being held by the Association of Group Travel Organisers (September 15-17).
McQueen (pictured) worked at Marketing Manchester for almost a decade, then after two years working for a specialist branding agency, she returned to the world of destination marketing, joining Marketing Cheshire in April 2017.
The showcase will take place at the QHotel Park Royal, Warrington, and brings together group organiser and associate members from across the UK for a programme of business and social sessions.
It will feature a panel discussion about experiential group travel, moderated by TravelGBI editor, George Clode.
The panel will comprise James Silvester, a group travel organiser and chairman of Agto’s Kent branch, and Alex Jacobs, managing director of tour operator Northern Secrets. Details of a third panellist are to be confirmed.
Delegates will also be able to attend familiarisation trips arranged by Marketing Cheshire to attractions including Tatton Park, Port Sunlight and Chester Cathedral.
Other elements of the Showcase programme include networking sessions and a dinner with entertainment arranged by headline sponsor, made tourism marketing.
Mike Bugsgang, Agto chief executive, said: “We are delighted that Rachel, George and the panellists have agreed to speak at the Showcase, as their presentations will provide a valuable insight to members on new trends in group travel.”


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Samsung phones are probably the most prolific Android phones circulating out there so could have the same advantage as Apple AirTags if the tracking was built-in to the OS... but it is not. It requires firstly that an app must be installed (like Tile) but it further only works on Samsung Galaxy devices (not all Samsung phones and not on any other Android phones).
So coverage-wise Tile is still a way better bet for Android users, and at the end of the day a lost tag's chance of being found is only as good as the number of potential detection devices circulating nearby.
I'd hope that Apple's move would spark something similar on Android devices but due to that either requires Google baking something into Android OS (that OEMs could disable if they choose to, or OEMs bake it into their brand phone eg. Samsung.
No need to panic about Google tracking you with this, as they already can/do via the OS. Apple has a set a good bar on privacy at least for 3rd party tracking, or misusing AirTags to track others (well if they have an Apple phone that is).
See How Samsung's SmartTag Bluetooth trackers work (and how to buy them)
The SmartTag and SmartTag Plus are brand-new Bluetooth trackers announced alongside the three new Galaxy S21 phones. Here's what you should know.


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The country's smartwatch market is growing steadily and rapidly. India surpassed China to become the second largest smartwatch market in the world during the second quarter of 2022, April–June. North America currently holds the number one position in the smartwatch market.
According to wearables market monitoring firm Counter Point's Smartwatch Tracker Report, the global smartwatch market grew by 13% in the June quarter, while India's smartwatch market grew more than four-fold at 347%. Excluding India, smartwatch sales worldwide fell by 10 to 18 percent in the June quarter compared to April-June 2021. Domestic brands such as Firebolt and Noise have contributed to the rapid growth of the smartwatch market in the Indian market. The companies also increased their share in the global smartwatch market and joined the top-10 companies. Interestingly, more than 30 percent of the smartwatches sold in India are priced below Rs 4,000.
A result of the launch of a cost-effective model
Major local brands have launched very affordable models. Due to this, the number of entry-level customers is increasing rapidly. – Sujeong Lim, Associate Director, Counterpoint
The European smartwatch market fell from fourth place
Interestingly, the European market fell from fourth place in the April-June quarter in terms of smartwatches. Europe's smartwatch market was the third largest in the January-March quarter. But in the second quarter, the European market fell 13% year-on-year. This happened due to the situation created by Russia's attack on Ukraine.
Top Smartwatch Market World -- 13% US 1 18% India 2 347% China 3 -10% Europe 4 -13%
Shipment growth of smartwatches
Country/Region Q2-21 Q2-22
A. America 38% 31%
India 06% 22%
China 26% 21%
Rest of the World 31% 26%


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3 August 2021
While it may feel like it’s too early start thinking about Christmas, the holiday season rolls around faster than Santa on a candy cane sugar rush and this year Southern Downs Regional Council is heading out early to seek a diverse range of vendors to help offer a spectacular experience for the community at the 2021 Warwick Carols in the Park.
All interested vendors are invited to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to provide a variety of services at the carols event which will be held in Queens Park on Sunday 12 December.
This much anticipated annual event is a highlight in the Southern Downs’ community calendar and each year is attended by more than 3,000 residents and regional visitors. Carols in the Park aims to offer a free, family friendly event that features a festive vibe filled with carollers, food trucks, market stalls and entertainment.
Southern Downs Councillor Sheryl Windle said the event is a wonderful opportunity for local organisations to get involved in a community event.
“Local food trucks, chip vans, coffee vans and entertainers have an excellent opportunity to participate in a much loved and well attended community event,” Councillor Windle said.
“I’d love to see roaming face painters, maybe an elf or two on stilts and what about a few oversized photo frames to snap your family’s 2021 Christmas Card Greeting through.
“There are so many creative vendors on the Southern Downs and I would encourage you to get in early with your EOI.”
Council officers will evaluate EOI’s to ensure that the service on offer is appropriate for the all-ages community event and vendors are asked to ensure that all relevant licenses and permits are submitted together with the completed EOI’s to avoid delay.
Food vendors and non-food vendors will need to complete separate EOI’s which can be found on Council’s website at www.sdrc.qld.gov.au/our-region/events-festivals/christmas-carols/vendors-and-sponsors
Vendors will be contacted in a timely manner to discuss event arrangements.


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WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (KRON) — The grand opening of a much-anticipated Shake Shack in the East Bay was welcomed with a line of customers around the block at least an hour before the restaurant even opened Sunday morning.
The restaurant on Mount Diablo Boulevard opened to cheers and raucous applause. It came as no surprise, as the first 100 customers to enter the new location were offered a Shake Shack gift.
The chain is offering an exclusive burger to Bay Area enthusiasts: the Golden State Double. The speciality is a double cheeseburger featuring grass-fed beef from an Oakland-based butcher.
KRON On is streaming now
Video from outside the new Shake Shack location shows customers patiently waiting for their turn to order their favorite shake and burger combination. With this new store there are now 10 Shake Shack locations across the Bay Area.


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Technology is evolving by the minute, and companies are constantly upgrading their products, making it hard for small businesses with limited funds to navigate the tech scene. How can entrepreneurs know which products will make for smart investments, which gadgets and programs will be obsolete before they get their money’s worth?
Ross Rubin, executive director of Industry Analysis, Consumer Technology at The NPD Group in New York City, said the first thing business owners should consider is what type of business they are aiming to become. If the business will run primarily from home, instead of on the go, different types of technology will be necessary to get started on the right track.
No matter what a business’ location or focus, Rubin identifies three items that will undoubtedly be money well spent: a computer, a smartphone and an all-in-one printer. These three items will run a business owner around $1,000 to start, not including a monthly data plan fee for smartphones.
“What you purchase depends on so many factors,” he told FoxBusiness. “But regardless of a lot of those decisions, these are three things that every small business needs; even small proprietors.”
Printer technology rarely changes, he said, so the only added expense will be replacing ink and toner cartridges. Smartphones, although they are constantly upgrading, have interchangeable operating systems like Apple iOS or Android, which let users keep their app purchases when upgrading to a new phone. As for PCs, Rubin said purchasing a fast computer with a powerful processor and abundant RAM, will keep it working for several years -- until the next major operating system upgrade.
Read more at the Fox Small Business Center.


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Today, Johnson & Johnson's BabyCenter and the Interactive Advertising Bureau's Mobile Marketing Center of Excellence is releasing a study that dives into how young moms—18 to 32 years old—in the U.S., Brazil, Canada, China and the United Kingdom use mobile devices and respond to advertising.
Millennial moms in four of the countries (the U.S., United Kingdom, Canada and Brazil) favored ads with a money-saving incentive—like a deal or sale—versus a promo targeted to their age or life stage. Meanwhile, moms in China were equally responsive to both types of digital ads.
Moms were also shown specific kinds of creative ad content. Images of babies were most likely to grab a their attention, followed by pictures of families and moms holding babies. (The results below show the percentage of U.S. moms who responded to various photos).
BabyCenter's data also looks at how moms view native advertisements. Twenty percent of U.S. moms trusted native ads while only 15 percent of Canadian moms said the same. Thirty-six percent of Brazil moms said they trusted sponsored content.
If a native ad is made with high-quality content (like an educational article or video), 76 percent of Brazilian moms said they would have a positive perception of an advertiser. To compare, 54 percent of American, 50 percent of Canadian, 67 percent of Chinese and 53 percent of U.K. moms said the same.
Changing media habits
According to BabyCenter, the average U.S. millennial mom spends 2.8 hours per day on a smartphone or tablet. That number is higher than the 2.3 hours that moms spend watching TV.
As moms rely more on smartphones and tablets, the average American woman spent 1.7 hours a day on a desktop computer last year, down from 2.1 hours in 2013.
Outside of mobile, the report also looked at how motherhood changes the way consumers view brands. Within the U.S., 63 percent of moms have altered their purchase criteria for groceries and food; 52 have changed how they buy cleansers and detergent; and 48 percent have switched the personal care products they buy.
The research also dug into which groups of moms were most likely to use a smartphone while shopping. Eighty-one percent of U.S. moms admitted to shopping with a mobile device. Meanwhile, 79 percent of Chinese moms, 73 percent of Canadian moms, 55 percent of Brazilian moms and 63 percent of U.K. moms said the same.
And when shopping with a smartphone in a store, 62 percent of U.S. moms search and download mobile coupons while 51 percent either look for better prices or recipes.


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Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Check out our features on Plexpod founder Gerald Smith, innovation coach Diana Kander, Victor & Penny’s Erin McGrane, SEED Law’s Adrienne Haynes, Code Koalas’ Robert Manigold, Prep-KC CEO Susan Wally and community builder Donald Carter.
Jordan Williams began his entrepreneurial journey without a dime nor a business plan, he said. The Keefe Cravat founder did, however, have his mom’s sewing kit.
“I was in my mom’s basement — my first office — about to watch a video on YouTube,” Williams said. “I was like ‘OK, cool. I’m about to figure out this needle and thread.’ Never sewn a day in my life. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing.”
Now widely known in the Kansas City fashion community for his necktie lines, then-20-year-old Williams had just returned from Columbia College in Chicago, making the difficult decision to come home because he couldn’t afford another semester, he said.
“I was in a position of confusion, depression,” Williams said. “I didn’t have any money.”
Ultimately, he found a way to smile again.
The experience of moving home offered him the time and opportunity to design some of his first bow ties in Kansas City. With $10 in hand, he bought a box of traditional neckties from a local thrift store, and got to work in his mother’s basement.
He posted a photo of the first redesigned bow tie to Instagram — and people liked it, Williams said. The affirmation gave him the confidence to keep pushing forward with his company, Keefe Cravat, eventually leading the young designer to industry connections, fashion shows and boutiques.
“‘Keefe’ means noble, gentle, lovable and handsome, and then ‘Cravat’ means neckwear. It’s about a man tying all of that together,” he said.
As Williams established his brand, he found his business strategy dominated by a rat race mentality, he said. He decided this summer to streamline his focus, shifting his attention to wedding wear.
“I’m in a place of simplicity,” Williams said. “My No. 1 client throughout the year is weddings. It’s the easiest market. They know what they want. They tell me what they want. They tell me when they need it. And they buy it in bulk.”
Keefe Cravat has moved from the startup-incubator stage to an adolescent phase of business, he said. The company now has a partnership with Sharon Miller at the Gown Gallery, with plans for a Keefe Cravat pilot starting in January at the store, Williams said.
“She’s introducing me into her world,” he said. “I can leverage what she’s done. And she’s going to show me the ins and outs of brides and grooms.”
Having received help along the way since developing his first designs, Williams said he feels a calling to help others who face the same early stage struggles he encountered. He’s moderating a “For The Fashionpreneur” panel Thursday at the Gown Gallery, as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week.
“For the past three years, when I would attend Global Entrepreneurship Week, I never felt like it was a place for me, as far as fashion business — not having that voice or representation of the fashion community, which I know is thriving,” Williams said. “But we’re slept on. We’re overlooked.”
Tired of just wondering why he was the only fashion enthusiast at the GEW events, Williams decided he wanted to help arm his peers with the tools to better strategize for their businesses, he said.
“You hear our mayor saying Kansas City is on the move. OK. That is so true, however, we’re more than just a ‘smart city.’ We’re more than just tech. There are so many mediums that are being used to push our ecosystem forward,” Williams said.
Startland News sat down with the designer for an at-times tongue-in-cheek look at what inspires and drives him.
Hometown: Kansas City, Missouri. Not Kansas.
A historical figure you’d like to have coffee with and why: Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. They are the epitome of simplicity, pursuit of happiness, understanding, guidance. The way they view things, their perspectives — I just really admire them. I would love to sit down with them for coffee and just breathe their air.
Weirdest thing you’ve eaten: The little stuff in the shells? Caviar! That’s the weirdest thing. The little fish eggs. Weird.
You’re up to bat for the Royals, what’s your walk-up song: It’s a Kanye song. “Monster.”
KC’s biggest area for improvement: The social scene for black Kansas City. But more than that. Being a black man — coming from that background and storyline — I’ve seen this city develop and grow, and what I’ve noticed is that it’s not developing and growing for black people. Not to say that anything is wrong with that growth, but black Kansas City is left out.
Favorite food joint in KC: Cafe Trio. I love their mac and cheese.
An influential book in your life: Michael Gerber, a distant mentor, wrote “The Entrepreneur Myth” — “The E Myth.” It talks about why small businesses do not work. Excellent book.
What keeps you in Kansas City: Family is so important to me. My little brother, my grandmother, sister, all these key people that I serve. I know I’m leading the next generation. It’s my legacy.
New technology that you’re most excited about: The app “BAND.” It kind of like a hub for groups that streamlines communication.
Word or phrase do you hate the most: “Can you donate a bowtie?” … No. Who are you? You don’t even know me. You’ve never bought my product. You don’t even know if it’s good. You want me to donate my — No! Go buy it, test it out, and if you like it, then come and holler at me, and I may help you out. Some people just hit me up with the most ridiculous requests.
What you hope you’re remembered for: That’s such a beautiful question. I’m just going to say my ability to make someone laugh.
Biggest failure: Starting my business! Failure to me is a win. I’ve learned to turn losses into victories. So I would say Keefe Cravat is my biggest failure. But it’s awesome.
An inspiration in your life: Now, this is the ratchet side of Jordan — the side I try to keep penned up: Cardi B. She’s a rapper and the most authentic. She says everything that I wish I could say. And that’s inspirational because now I’m finding ways to say things … maybe that I shouldn’t say, but I’m having the confidence to say it. Now, on the other side, a big inspiration is Solange’s album, “A Seat At The Table.”
You can’t save it — how would you spend $1 million: I wouldn’t buy anything. I’d come up with a top 100 list of aspiring entrepreneurs with a vision for creativity, changing lives, the world, creating culture. And I would give that money to them. They’d have to be between the ages of 16 and 25.
You have a time machine and can travel anywhere in the past or future. Where and when do you go? I would love to travel back to the year I was born. 1992 was a lit year. Bill Clinton had just come into office. It was an incredible year in music, sports and fashion. So, instead of being at home with Mom, I would be out in the city, just exploring everything that was happening in the culture.
Favorite travel locale: I haven’t been there yet! When I was a child, I used to travel to Memphis and spend two weeks there every summer. I would get this hospitality that I never experienced. Now that I’m older, I have this desire to travel to Africa. I want to explore this motherland, nature, these things that I’ve heard about for years. But I haven’t been there yet.
Hidden talent or ability: I think I can rap, but I don’t talk about that.


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The latest news and research on cannabis jobs around the world.
Don’t relocate for a job when there are plenty of amazing cannabis opportunities in your area.
Your reasons for wanting a new job in the cannabis industry are valid, but getting there requires effort.
If you’re lucky enough to already live in a state with legal cannabis jobs — get your resume ready!
There are plenty of new cannabis companies eager to hire quality individuals to fill their HR departments.
There’s no better time than now to become a grow master in the USA or Canada.


text: Jennifer Lopez and her twins, Max and Emme, are the face of a new campaign for Gucci’s new children’s collection. In celebration of its partnership with UNICEF and the launch of its new children’s collection Gucci has pledged a further US$ 1 million to UNICEF’s Schools for Africa program. Gucci is also donating $50,000 to Jlo’s charity the Maribel Institute. The Gucci children’s collection is divided into age ranges from 0 to 2 years and 2 to 8 years. It will be available in Gucci stores, department stores and specialty stores starting in November.